Entrepreneurs

KATHMANDU: I recently had a series of interactions with young entrepreneurs. Many things dominated our conversation repeatedly. How do entrepreneurs start? How do they conceive ideas? Why do we see so many entrepreneurs confined with small enterprises? What are the hurdles in their enterprise growth? One of the vital aspects impacting the aforementioned questions is generated from the strict demarcation between leadership and entrepreneurs. If we intermingle the terms, then we begin to understand that entrepreneurs have leadership skills that just need polishing.

Entrepreneurs have the zeal to solve problems. While other see something as a problem, they see prospects in it. They tap opportunities and enterprise despite  prevailing problems. In other words, they do not escape from problems, they face it.

 They apply creativity to solve problems. Entrepreneurship is born out of passion. 

Many disregard leadership as necessary for entrepreneurs and the hidden link between leadership and entrepreneurs is ignored. It primarily arises due to the restrictive definition of leadership. In most cases, leadership is important only if one has to ‘lead’ a group of people.

Personal leadership, the aspects that I have been covering in my articles, is mostly overlooked.

So why do we see many enterprises stagnate or even close after a few years or even months of operation? Every enterprise has its growth stages, the hurdles that take their enterprises to larger level.

Entrepreneurs that I have interacted and observed are occupied mostly in daily operations that severely hamper their personal growth opportunities.

Depending upon the size of their enterprises, their time is devoted to daily based activities, which stagnates their growth. This finally deteriorates their own and their organ-isational performances.

With growing employment, entrepreneurship development is surely a trump card to solve the situation. Young entrepreneurs are gradually moving towards creating jobs rather than seeking jobs. They are one of the vital forces that shape the economy of any country. Great enterprises are born out of small initiatives. Our orthodox society wants our children to be safely working in ‘conventional jobs and professions’ such as bankers, doctors and engineers. Many do not see the entrepreneurial zeal that lies engraved in the heart.

It is rather sad that previously mentioned dimensions are neglected in our society. Leadership is not just about leading, it is more about personal transformation no matter what the volume of turnover is in your enterprise or how many you employ.

(Sanam Chitrakar is the MD, trainer and consultant of Aadhar Development Pvt. Ltd.

He can be contacted at sanamchitrakar@gmail.com)